Snare-type wire binding machine



10 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ALBERT E.ORANSTON,Jr. WILBER C.GRANSTON WILLIAM J. ROWELL A. E. CRANSTON, JR., ET AL SNARETYPE WIRE BINDING MACHINE 5 q o 6 5 5- J 7/ H L Q a 7 C 3 e l e Q H 0: 0000 4 0000 m 000 m Z n s Q m w Q a Q ML June 11, 1968 Filed March 25, 1966 BY a flfi'o rney June 11, 1968 A. EjcRANsToN, .IR., ET AL 3,387,556

SNARE-TYPE WIRE BINDING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1966 10 Sheets-Sheet H LS8- PREVENTS START OF CYCLE UNTIL PLATEN IS UP I 331g" 25 I Q w 2:8 I LS9- SAFETY SWITCH STOPS MACHINE.

3 1/ 4 'LS2 ENERGIZES WIRE TENSION TIMER AND 60 STARTS WIRE DRIvEMoToR IN qs TENSION DIRECTION.

i -IIs C N I5l I LS4- CLOSES GRIPPER.

LSG- REVERSES TWISTER CYLINDER AND RAISES PLATEN.

LSS-OPENS GRIPPER.

LSB-OPERATES CUTTER. INVENTORS LS7- STARTS wIRE DRIVE MOTOR IN ALBERT E. CRANSTON,Jr. I52 RETHREAD DIRECTION. WILBER C.GRANSTON WILLIAM J. ROWELL June 11, 1968 E CRANSTQN, JR" ET AL 3,387,555

SNARE-TYPE WIRE BINDING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 25, 1966 INVENTORS ALBERT E. CRANSTON,Jr. WILBER C. GRANSTON WILLIAM J. ROWELL June 11, 1968 N' ON, JR, ET AL 3,387,556

SNARE-TYPE WIRE BINDING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 25, 1966 ALBERT E. GRANSTON Jr.

June 11, 1,968 CRANSTON, JR ET AL 3,387,556

SNARE-TYPE WIRE BINDING MACHINE 1O Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 25, 1966 away/1197011.

INVENTORS ALBERT E. CRANSTON,Jr. WILBER C. CRANSTON WILLIAM J. ROWELL June 11, 1968 A. E. CRANSTON, JR, ET AL 3,387,556

SNARE-TYPE WIRE BINDING MACHINE 1O Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 25. 1966 CRANSTON Jr. CRANSTON M J. ROWELL I NVENTORS ALBERT E. WILBER 0. WILLIA flftomey S 58 C 5 T A L U m 5 .l S R June 11, 1968 A. E. CRANSTON, JR, ET 3,387,556

SNARE-TYPE WIRE BINDING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1966 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 zz INVENTORS Z45 ALBERT E. CRANSTON,Jr. WILBER c. CRANS WILLIAM J. ROWE Iekim ,4ttorney United States Patent AESCT (IF THE DISCLOSURE A wire feed mechanism pushes a metered length of binding wire around an oval guide track encircling a bundle passage in a movable platen. The platen clamps the bundle in binding position on a conveyor and the feed mechanism reverses, through a friction clutch and under the control of a timing device, to strip the wire from the guide track and tension it about the bundle. Then the wire is spliced and cut off and the platen releases the bundle.

This invention relates to a snare-type wire binding machine wherein a bundle is moved into a preformed loop of binding wire and the loop is then contracted and tensioned around the bundle, overlapping wire portions are spliced together and the wire cut off from its source of supply. More specifically, the invention relates to improvements in the binding machine in the Cranston et al. US. Patent 3,179,037.

Binding machines of this type have proved quite successful in practice, particularly for the use on very large bundles, because of their reduced weight and cost and lower power requirements in relation to the older type of rotating ring machines. Although the snare-type of binding machine is itself rather old in the art, it is only relatively recently that it has been made sufficiently practical and eflicient to win widespread acceptance in. the trade. As more experience is gained under industrial operating conditions, the possibilities of still further improvements present themselves. Speed of operation and freedom from trouble are particularly important to the users of the machines.

Objects of the invention are, therefore, to provide an improved snare-type machine, to provide a machine which will bind a bundle faster than previous machines, to provide a machine of lower cost, greater simplicity and fewer parts, to provide a machine having a less complicated control system, to provide a machine which is more trouble free, requires less maintenance and is easier to service, and to provide an improved physical arrangement of the various components for greater accessibility when servicing is required.

The present machine will accommodate wire of different shapes, such a round, oval or rectangular in cross section. Also, certain features of the machine are useful with fiat strap. A metered length of the binding wire is pushed around an oval guide track encircling an open bundle passage through which bundles pass one after another on a conveyor. For most efficient operation it is preferred to form the wire loop at the end of a binding cycle while a previously bound bundle is moving out of the machine and a new bundle is moving in. The wire guide track is part of a vertically movable platen which is arranged to clamp the bundle in binding position on the conveyor.

The wire is stripped from its guide track tensioned around the bundle and overlapping portions of the wire are twisted together on the top side of the bundle. The twisted splice is cut off from its source of wire supply, the platen raises and another length of wire is fed into 3,387,556 Patented June 11, 1968 ice the guide track in preparation for another cycle on the same bundle or on a different bundle. These functions overlap to some extent in order to complete the cycle in the shortest possible time. Most of the operations are performed by pneumatic cylinders and the control system comprises a pneumatic system and an electric system having solenoid valves and electric relays actuated by limit switches and other control devices.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Various changes may be made, however, in the construction and arrangement of parts and certain features may be used without others. All such modifications within the scope of the appended claims are included in the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the front side of the machine;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view on the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1, showing the wire metering wheel for the revolution counter;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the machine;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevation view of the machine;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view on the line 5-5 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation view showing the left end of the machine in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged view in front elevation, showing the wire drive mechanism;

FIGURE 8 is a view on the line 8-8 in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary front elevation view of the platen, showing the wire guide track;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged view on the line 10-10 in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged view on the line 11-11 in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged view on the line 12-12 in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 13 is a view on the line 13-13 in FIG- URE 11;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view taken at the same viewing angle as FIGURE 1, showing part of the twister drive mechanism;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged view on the line 15-15 in FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged view on the line 16-16 in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 17 is an enlarged view on the line 17-17 in FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 18 is an enlarged view on the line 18-18 in FIGURE 9, showing the gripper in open position, ready to close;

FIGURE 19 is a view similar to FIGURE 18, showing the gripper closed, during wire twist;

FIGURE 20 is an enlarged view on the line 20-20 in FIGURE 18;

FIGURE 21 is an enlarged view on the line 21-21 in FIGURE 18;

FIGURE 22 is a view similar to FIGURE 16 but including one of the retractable wire guides, the wire guide being in closed position and the wire rethreaded, ready for lowering of the platen to start a binding cycle;

FIGURE 23 is a view similar to FIGURE 22 showing the platen down and the wire guide in open position during twist;

FIGURES 23a to 23d are end elevation views of the twister gear in different rotative positions;

FIGURE 24 is an enlarged view on the line 24-24 in FIGURE 22;

3 FIGURE 25 is a diagram showing the locations of the limit switches; and

FIGURES 26 and 27 combined are a schematic diagram of the pneumatic system and the electrical control system.

General construction and arrangement As best seen in FIGURE 3, the binding machine has a frame which is T-shaped in plan view with a narrow upright frame portion 11 adapted to extend through a gap between an infced fiat belt chain conveyor 12 and a similar outfeed conveyor 13 for the bundles. This frame is mounted on three caster wheels 14 equipped with locking devices 15. The frame is thus conveniently portable into and out of operating position between the two conveyors. Conveyors 12 and 13 are mounted on frames 16 equipped with brackets 17 as shown in FIGURE 1 which may be secured to the floor. There is also a guide track 18 on the floor for the wheel 14 on the narrow frame portion 11 as shown in FIGURE 1 and clamps 19 are provided on the frame of conveyor 13 to hold the frame 11 down.

In order to allow for convenient removal of the binding machine, the conveyors are arranged to pivot upwardly on their shafts 20 to the broken line position shown in FIGURE 6. The conveyors are raised and lowered for this purpose by pneumatic cylinders as shown at 21 in FIGURE 4. Conveyor 12 is driven by motor 22 and conveyor 13 is driven by motor 23. The bundle is accurately positioned relative to the plane of the binding wire by means of metering wheel 25 in FIGURE 1 and conveyor control mechanism, not shown.

Metering wheel 25 is held up against the under side of a bundle on conveyor 12 so as to be rotated backward or forward by the movements of the bundle and is located as close as possible to that part of the binding machine which extends between the two conveyors so that any bundle in a binding position will be in engagement with the metering wheel. The details of the metering wheel and conveyor control mechanism will not be described as they form no part of the present invention.

As seen in FIGURE 4, the machine frame portion 11 which extends between the conveyors is an open, rectangular, vertical frame which supports a vertically movable platen 49. Platen is equipped with upper and lower guides 41 engaging the upright members on opposite sides of frame 11. Each guide 41 has a roller 42 to roll on the inner edge of the frame upright. Each guide 41 extends behind the rear side of frame 11 to hold the platen against the front side of the frame and opposed surfaces of both guide and platen are equipped with nylon wear strips 43 to slide on the front and back faces of frame 11. The four guides 41 hold the platen in horizontal position in a vertical plane on frame 11 so that the platen may be raised and lowered on the frame by one or more pneumatic cylinders 45.

Platen 40 carries most of the components of the binding machine and has a central opening which provides a bundle passage through the machine. The platen is equipped with a wire guide track 51 of oval configuration (FIGURE 9) around the passage opening 50 to form the binding wire into an expanded snare encircling a bundle in the bundle passage. The machine operates to strip the wire from the guide track, tension it and secure it about the bundle and then cut the Wire so that the bundle may be discharged from the machine on conveyor 13. During this operation the platen moves down to clamp the top of the bundle and then moves up to release the bundle and the secured binding wire. In its up position, the platen actuates limit switch LS8 in FIGURE 4.

As seen in FIGURE 1, the upper side of wire guide track 51 includes a twister gear unit T for forming a splice in the wire. On the left of twister unit T is a cutter unit C and on the right is a gripper unit G. This arrangement is sirnlar to that shown in US. Patent 3,179,037, the cutter being substantially identical to the cutter in said patent and the gripper being the same except that it is resiliently mounted. Thus, the machine has a single cutter and a single gripper.

Cutter unit C, twister unit T, gripper unit G and adjacent portions of wire guide track 51 on the upper side of bundle opening 50 are mounted on a detachable mounting plate 52 which is bolted to the rear side of platen late 40 to span an opening 53 in the platen plate, Opening 53 is merely the upper portion of opening 50.

An operating cycle starts with the lowering of the platen to clamp the bundle and operation of the wire drive mechanism in tension direction to strip the wire rom uide track 51 and tension it about the bundle. Then the twister gear rotates to form a splice and the cutter operates to cut the splice free from the length of wire extending from its source of supply. Finally, the platen rises, freeing the bundle and its binding wire for movement out of the machine or to a second binding position.

While the platen is rising, the wire drive mechanism is operated in the feed or rethread direction to place another length of wire in the guide track. During rcthread movement, the end of the wire is first pushed from left to right through the cutter C and twister gear of the twister unit T and alongside the gripper G without entering the gripper in a. position to be gripped thereby. The Wire prograsses around the guide track and in its second pass along the upper side of the guide track it is directed alongside the cutter, through the slot of the twister gear a second time and into the gripper. The wire feed then stops and the gripper closes on the end of the wire. The machine is then ready for another binding cycle.

As thus broadly stated, the sequence of operations is the same as in Patent No. 3,179,037 but the control system is different in the present machine to achieve a faster operation which is also more trouble free. There are also improvements in some of the mechanical components.

Wire drive and guide track Still referring to FIGURE 1, the wire W as drawn from a supply coil enters the machine between a pair of guide sheaves 55. The wire then passes in a are around three guide sheaves 56 which form a downward bend to the right. These guide sheaves are visible through openings in a cover plate 57 which is hinged at 58 to the platen structure for access in threading the wire into the machine. In passing around the guide sheaves 56, the wire is confined in a narrow vertical space between the cover plate 57 and a vertical back plate which supports the sheaves 56.

This narrow space communicates behind hinge 58 with a slack wire storage chamber 60 extending across the top of the platen. The chamber 69 has the same vertical depth as cover plate 57 and has a front to back thickness only slightly greater than the thickness of the wire. This chamber is arranged to receive a horizontally elongated loop of the wire in orderly manner as shown in FIGURE 25 without snarling or kinking during reverse feed in stripping the wire from the guide track and tensioning it about the bundle. The front side of chamber 60 has an open slot 59 for observing the loop of slack wire in the chamber. Safety switch LS9 has an actuating finger extending into this slot for engagement by the wire in case an excess length of Wire is fed into chamber 60. The position of the switch is adjustable along the slot.

From the lowermost guide sheave 56 the wire passes between a series of staggered guide sheaves 61 mounted on an arcuate plate 62 which form a 180 downward bend to the left. Leaving the guide sheaves 61, the wire passes horizontally into wire drive mechanism 65 in alignment with the upper side of guide track 51.

Wire drive mechanism 65 is shown in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8. A vertical guide frame 66 is mounted on platen 40. Fixedly mounted in the lower part of the guide frame is a pair of spaced plates 67 containing bearings for the shafts of a pair of lower drive sheaves 68. In the upper part of the guide frame is a slide '70 comprising a pair of similar plates 71 having bearings to support the shafts of a pair of upper drive sheaves 72. Keyed to the shafts of lower sheaves 68 are gears 73 and keyed to the shafts of upper drive sheaves 72 are gears 74. Each gear 74 meshes with the gear 73 directly below it and the two gears 73 are driven by a pinion 75 on a drive shaft 76 which is also journalled in hearings in plates 67. The front plates 67 and 71 are equipped with guide leaves 77 to hold the wire in the plane of the drive sheaves.

Slide 71) is connected with a vertical thrust rod 78 which is actuated by a diaphragm in a pneumatic diaphragm chamber 80 mounted on guide frame 66. By admitting air pressure to the upper side of the diaphragm, the upper drive sheaves 72 are pressed downward to clamp the wire against lower drive sheaves 68 with as much pressure as desired to provide the necessary frictional engagement for feeding the Wire in one direction around guide track 51 and for pulling the wire in a reverse direction to tighten it around the bundle with the desired degree of tension. The pressure applied to the wire by upper drive sheaves 72 operates to straighten the Wire so that a separate straightening device is not needed.

Drive shaft 76 in FIGURE 8 is rotated by the motor 81 in FIGURE 6 through an adjustable, pneumatically actuated overload release clutch 82. When the maximum desired wire tension is attained, the clutch will slip.

In order to stop the wire feed substantially instantaneously at the conclusion of its forward feed or rethread movement, the shaft 76 is also connected to a friction brake 83. This brake is spring applied and solenoid released, the solenoid bcing connected in the motor circuit so that it will be energized and deenergized simultaneously with motor 81. Thus, the brake is released when the motor is energized and the brake is applied when the motor is deenergized.

Details of the wire guide track 51 are shown in FI URES 9 to 13. FIGURE 9 being a front view, the wire enters the guide track at the left end of its upper side in the upper passage 85 shown in FIGURE 12. This passage directs the wire through the cutter and twister gear but passes alongside the gripper and continues on the right side of the gripper in the passage 86 shown in FIGURE 11. The wire is never stripped from passage 85 in FIG- URE 12 but provision is made for stripping the wire from passage 86 in FIGURE 11. Retaining plate 87 is pressed into closed position by pins 88 actuated by leaf springs 89, The right end of plate 87 is cut off on an angle as indicated at 90 in FIGURE 13 so that as the wire is being stripped from the uide track, it eventually reaches the angled end surface 9% and cams the plate 87 back in its supporting slot 91, allowing the Wire to escape downward in FIGURE 11.

Closely adjacent the wire passage 86 is the bundle clamping shoe 92 on mounting plate 52. Also associated with these parts is tension start plunger 95 which appears in FIGURES 9 and 13. The lower end of the plunger extends below clamping shoe 92 so as to engage the bundle and be lifted relative to platen 41) when the clamping shoe is brought down on top of the bundle B. The lifting of this plunger actuates switch LS2 to start wire tension for stripping the wire from the wire guide track and tensioning it around the bundle.

After passing around the right end and lower side of the guide track, the Wire reaches the left end which is shown in cross section in FIGURE 10. Here the wire is contained in a shallow passage 96 formed by a space between the grooved edges of inside and outside arcuatc plates 97 and 98 on the flat surface of an abrasion resistant plate 94 on platen 40. Plate 97 on the inside of the bend terminates at an end 99 in the upper portion of the bend while plate 98 on the outside of the bend continues around to guide the wire into lower passage 1190 in FIGURE 12. The guide surface provided by the edge of plate 97 is not needed in this final portion of the bend because the advancing wire is pressing against the edge of outer plate 98. The wire is releasably retained in passage 96 by cover plates 101. Each cover plate 101 is mounted on pins 162 and pressed against guide plates 97 and 98 by compression springs 103.

The lower side of passage 16-!) in FIGURE 12 is closed by a retractable plate 104 which is angled or bevelled at its end which is adjacent the cover plate 101 the same as the end of retaining plate 87 in FIGURE 13. In its feed movement the second pass of the wire, in lower passage 100, travels past the cutter, through the twister gear slot and into the gripper and is stopped there by the gripper.

The gripper is closed by reaction of the driven wire against a yieldable outer guide track element which defines the first bend in the guide track. The inner side of a Wire passage 113 is defined by the outer edge of an arcuate plate 114. Element 115 is an arcuate plate or arm which is pivotally mounted at 116 for sliding movement in a narrow space between platen 40 and a cover plate 117. A tension spring 118 on arm 12!) normally pulls the arm against a stop 119 to hold plate 115 in an inner position as shown with sufficient force to resist the reaction of the wire until the wire reaches the gripper in its feed movement. The wire feed movement continues momentarily after the end of the wire is stopped by the gripper whereby such continued feed movement moves arm 115 outward sufiiciently to actuate switch LS4 on the platen. Switch LS4 closes the gripper.

The length of wire fed into the guide track 51 is metered by metering wheel in FIGURE 2 which is located between the wire drive mechanism 65 and guide track 51. The shaft of the metering wheel is carried by a bearing block 141 which is movably mounted on platen 40. Spring 142 presses the metering wheel against the wire W. The metering wheel turns a flexible shaft 143 which operates a revolution counter RC in FIGURES 1 and 26 to stop the wire drive motor 81 when a predetermined length of wire has been fed into the guide track. This length is accurately controlled by a dial adjustment 145 on the revolution counter so that rethread feed will stop when switch LS4 in FIGURE 9 is actuated whereby wire feed stops simultaneously with the closing of the gripper.

Extending horizontally along the bottom of the wire guide track is a single straight cover plate 125 similar to the arcuate covcr plates 101. The cover plates 117 and 125 are mounted on pins 192 under compression springs 103 as shown in FIGURE 10, the same as cover plates 101, to permit the cover plates to yield outwardly during stripping of the wire from the guide track.

When the platen is lowered to clamp the bundle, the wire drive mechanism 65 reverses to strip the wire from the guide track and contract the snare about the bundle. The wire being unconfined on the inside of the bend between the upper end 99 of plate 97 and the entrance to passage 100, the wire first pulls away from outer guide plate 98 in this region causing the wire to cam back the bevelled end of retaining plate 104 and start pulling downwardly out of passage 100. The corner 99 is bevelled to a feather edge causing the wire to slide over plate 97 and escape from under the retaining leaf plates 101. This causes the wire to pull tight around the upper left corner of the bundle, keeping in mind that the top of the bundle at this time is in contact with bundle clamping shoe 92.

Stripping from the guide track then progrcsses in counterclockwise direction along the bottom, around the right end and out of passage 86 on the upper right side. As wire is pulled out of the guide track 51, the length withdrawn in tightening the snare on the bundle is pushed back through guide sheaves 61 and into slack storage chamber 60 in FIGURES 1 and 25.

Twister Mechanism Referring now to FIGURES 14 and 15, the twister mechanism is powered by a pneumatic twister cylinder 159 having a vertical piston rod 151 arranged to rotate a slotted twister gear in a wire twisting operation during the upward stroke of the piston rod. The piston rod is connected to an endless double chain 152 trained around a lower double sprocket wheel 153 and an upper double sprocket wheel 154.

Sprocket 154 is an idler adjacent which are mounted four limit switches LS7, LS3, LS and LS6. These four switches are arranged for actuation by three lugs 155, 156 and 157 which are mounted for vertical adjustment in a lug plate 158 on the piston rod. This double chain arrangement prevents the piston rod and chain from twisting so that the lugs will have an unvarying path of travel relative to the switches. Switch LS3 is mounted in the path of travel of lug 155, switch LS5 is mounted in the path of travel of lug 156 and switches LS6 and LS7 are mounted in the path of travel of lug 157.

Sprocket 153 is mounted for rotation on a bearing 159 on shaft 16%. The shaft is mounted for rotation in bearings 161 on a bracket 162 which also supports the cylinder and switches just described so that these various elements may be mounted and removed as a unit. In the upward or working stroke of piston rod 151, sprocket 153 drives shaft 150 through a directional sprag clutch 163. During the downward stroke of the piston rod, clutch 163 is ineffective and does not drive the shaft. During the downward stroke, the shaft is driven in a reverse direction by a non-directional friction ball clutch 165 until the twister gear is indexed by a means presently to be described. During the remainder of the downward movement of the piston rod, clutch 165 allows sprocket 153 to rotate relative to shaft 160.

Shaft 160 extends horizontally above bundle passage 50 as seen in FIGURE 1 for connection with the gear unit T of the twister mechanism and is jointed as indicated at 169 in FIGURE for the separate removal of the twister drive unit in FIGURE 14 or the twister gear unit T in FIGURE 16. The right end of the shaft in FIGURES 1, 14 and 15 is drivingly connected to the gear 170 in FIGURE 16. Twister gear unit T is carried by a pair of spaced arallel vertical plates 171 mounted on mounting plate 52 to project forward from platen 49 above the center of bundle passage 50. Gear 170 drives an intermediate gear 172 which in turn drives the twister gear 175 which has a wire receiving slot 176.

The indexing mechanism shown in FIGURE 17 indexes the twister gear so that its slot 176 is turned downward in wire stripping and receiving position after the completion of each wire twisting operation. After the completion of the twisting movement, the twister gear must be backed up a fraction of a turn to relieve the torsional strain in the wire and relieve the splice from excessive frictional engagement with the twister gear slot so that the splice will slip freely out of the slot when the platen is raised.

During the twisting of the splice while piston rod 151 is moving upward, the gear 170 is rotating clockwise in FIG. 16. Reverse or back-up rotation produced by clutch 165 is stopped by indexing pin 177 in FIGURE 17. This pin is pressed by spring 178 into groove 179 in a face of gear 170. The lower end of groove 179 has a sloping ramp surface so that the gear will turn freely in a twist direction, which is upward in FIGURE 17, while the upper end of the slot has a perpendicular abutment 180 to stop rotation of the gear in a downward or reverse direction when it reaches a predetermined indexed position in which twister gear slot 176 is turned downward. Index pin 177 thereby stops reverse rotation of shaft 160 allowing sprocket 153 to continue turning against the resistance of friction clutch 165.

In order to provide accurate adjustment of the indexed position of the gear train in FIGURE 16, the index pin 177 extends through an arcuate slot 181 in support plate 171 and is mounted on an adjustable mounting ring 182. Index pin 177 is carried by a hollow stud 183 in the mounting ring 182. Ring 182 is secured in rotative adjustment by three clamp screws 184 in support plate 171 which pass through arcuate slots 135 in the ring 182. By varying the angular position of the ring 182 on support plate 171, the indexed position of the twister gear may be shifted clockwise or counterclockwise in FIG- URE 16 so that slot 176 will be directed straight down.

At the completion of rethread the wire portions W and W are disposed in the twister gear slot as shown in FIGURE 23a. The twist (FIGURE 23b) is completed in four and a fraction revolutions with an angle of over twist as indicated in FIGURE 23c. Then the twister gear reverses to its indexed position in FIGURE 23d for Wire discharge.

Gripper and retractable wire guides The gripper unit G is ilius-trated in FIGURES 18 to 21. The gripper element itself comprises a rotatable member 200 mounted in a block 201 on the front side of mounting plate 52 a short distance from twister gear unit T. Gripper element 2% is rotated by an arm 202 pivotally connected to a piston rod 203 in gripper cylinder 205. Gripper element 2% is equipped with a wire bending nose 206 positioned in the path of the wire feed to provide a stop for the advancing wire end when the gripper is open as shown in FIGURE 18.

In its closing movement, gripper element 269 rotates a fraction of a turn clockwise to bend the abutting wire end forward from mounting plate 52 (upward in FIG- URE 19) and clamp the wire end securely against an adjacent anvil 207. Anvil 2-37 is adjustably mounted on gripper block 201 by means of screws 268 in the block which pass through slots in the anvil and setscrews 210 in the block having lock nuts 2419.

Above the clamping nose 2% (below in Fi URE 21), the gripper element 200 is grooved at 212 in alignment with wire passage 86 in FIGURE 11 and upper wire passage in FIGURE 12 to guide the first pass VV of the wire past the gripper in non-gripping relation. On the second pass of the wire at W the lower passage in FIGURE 12 guides the wire in position to impinge against the gripper nose 206. Thus, when the gripper operates as shown in FIGURE 19, the wire end on the second pass W is gripped and the first pass W is not gripped and remains clear whereby the latter portion of the wire may be retracted for stripping from the guide track and tensioning.

Gripper block 261 is mounted on a yieldable supporting bracket 213 by means of a pair of studs 214 which extend through slots 215 in mounting plate 52. Bracket 213 is pulled against a bumper block 216 on a rigidly mounted bracket 217. A bolt 218 extends slidably through the bumper 216 and bracket 217 and is equipped with a compression spring 219 to hold the gripper block normally in its FIGURE 18 position. The force of spring 219 is superior to the wire tension in binding the bundle whereby this spring does not yield during tensioning. Twisting of the splice increases the tension on the wire, allowing the spring to yield as the twisting progresses so that the wire will not be overstressed and weakened in the region of the splice.

Retractable wire guides 221 and 222 are shown in FIG- URES 22, 23 and 24. The wire guides are omitted in FIGURE 16. The gripper anvil 207 in FIGURES 18 and 19 appears in cross section in FIGURES 22 and 23. The rear face of the anvil is recessed at 223 to form a top wall and front side wall of a guide passage for the two wire portions W and W extending a short distance horizontally between the wire emergent side of the twister gear and the wire entrance side of the gripper. On the opposite side of the twister gear there is a similar anvil 22 5 in the cutter extending a short distance between the wire entrance side 9 of the twister gear and the wire emergent side of the cutter. Both anvils 2G6 and 224 appear in FIGURE 9. The rear sides of these anvil recesses are normally closed by the retractable wire guides 221 and 222 to form a wire passage as shown in FIGURE 22.

When platen 4-9 is lowered to bring clamping shoe 22 to bear on top of the bundle, the two wire guides 221 and are retracted as shown in FIGURE 23 by engagement of a plunger 225 with the top of the bundle B. Plunger 225 is pivotally connected with a pin 226 extending between the rear ends of a pair of arms 227 which are pivotally mounted at their forward ends on a pair of trunnions 228 in bracket plates 229 mounted on opposite sides of the twister gear unit side plates 171. Plunger 225 includes a rod 230 which is guided for sliding movement in a rocking guide 231. Guide 231 is pivotally mounted on a pin 232 in a bracket 233 secured to the back of mounting plate 52. The arms 227 extend through a vertical slot 234 in the mounting plate. A compression spring 235 presses the plunger downward as shown in FIGURE 22, the downward movement being limited by engagement of nut 236 with guide 231. Nut 236 is adjusted to maintain a very slight clearance between the closest portions of guides 221 and 222 and the anvils 224 and 207.

Wire guide 221 has a lower slot 249 for the wire portion W and a separate upper slot 241 for the wire portion W to hold the two wire portions spaced apart from each other so that only the upper wire portion W will be aimed to the gripper. Wire guide 222 is differently constructed. This wire guide has a single recess 242 confronting the recess 223 in anvil 26-7 to form a single passageway for both wire portions. This wire guide is pivotally mounted at 243 on its supporting arm 227 whereas guide 221 is rigid on its supporting arm 227. Guide 222 is normally cooked in titted position on its pivot 243 by a compression spring 244. Guide 222 also has a forwardly extending bottom flange projection 245 to close the lower ide of the wire passage between the wire guide and the anvil 207. The end of bottom flange 245 adjacent the twister gear is bevelled to provide a sloping ramp surface at 2%.

Spring 244 normally holds wire guide 222 in a position rotated somewhat counterclockwise from that shown in FIGURE 24. When wire portion W leaves the twister gear, travelling from left to right in FIGURE 24, it encounters the fiange 245 and deflects guide 222 clockwise to its FIGURE 24 position so that wire portion W can pass on through the wire guide. Spring 244 causes flange 24-5 to lift wire portion W so that the wire end will land at the proper point in the gripper as shown in FIGURE 21.

Before the twister gear is rotated, the wire portions W and W are in place as shown in FIGURE 24 and then as platen 40 lowers onto the bundle, plunger 25 retracts both wire guides 221 and 222 to provide twisting space for the splice on opposite sides of the twister gear. The wire guides are always retracted as in FIGURE 23 when the platen is down on the bundle.

Cutter cylinder 250 appears in FIGURE 1. A piston rod in this cylinder is connected to an arm 251 on vertical shaft 252 and operates the cutter blade as disclosed in said Patent 3,179,037. The cutter blade (not shown) is positioned adjacent the left end of retractable wire guide 221 in FIGURE 24 to cooperate with a cutter block adjacent cutter guide anvil 224 in FIGURE 9. The cutter operates on Wire portion 'W' and does not cut Wire portion W2.

The cutter, twister and gripper units C, T and G may be mounted at the lower edge of bundle opening 59 in stead of the upper edge, in which case the platen would be raised up to the bundle instead or" being lowered down on the bundle. The splice would then be twisted on the under side of the bundle instead of the top side.

The platen may also be mounted in horizontal instead of vertical position to bind a bundle in a horizontal plane as shown and described in said Patent 3,179,037.

Pneumatic system The pneumatic system is illustrated schematically in FIGURES 26 and 27. A source of compressed air 300 supplies a pressure line 301 through an adjustable pressure regulator 302 equipped with a pressure gauge 303.

Gripper cylinder 205 (FIGURE 26) is controlled by a two position solenoid valve 385 which is actuated to gripper open position by a normally deenergized solenoid 8V4 and actuated to gripper closed position by a normally energized solenoid 8V6. The air flow from one end of the cylinder is controlled by a flow control valve 366 which permits unrestricted flow in one direction and restricted flow in the opposite direction as indicated by the conventional symbol. When both solenoids are deenergized, the valve remains in its last position.

Platen cylinder 45 (FIGURE 27) is controlled by a two position solenoid valve 318. This valve is shifted to platen up position by normally energized solenoid SVS and is shifted to platen down position by normally deenergized solenoid 8V1. Pressure regulating valve 362 is adjustable to control the pressure applied by the platen to the top of the bundle. Check valve 311 allows free discharge of air from the head end of the cylinder around the pressure regulating valve for a rapid up movement of the platen.

Twister cylinder is controlled by a two position single solenoid valve 315. This valve is normally actuated in twister reset position by a spring and is actuated in the opposite direction for twister operation by normally deenergized solenoid SV2. Flow from both ends of cylinder 150 is controlled by fiow control valves 3%.

Cutter cylinder is controlled by a two position single solenoid valve 326. This valve is normally shifted to cutter retract position by a spring and is shifted in the opposite direction to cutter actuating position by solenoid 8V3.

Wire drive diaphragm unit 88 is pressure actuated continuously through pressure regulating valve 382 which is adjustable to control the grip on the wire exerted by drive sheaves 72 in FIGURE 8. Clutch '82 (see also FIG- URE 6) is continuously pressure actuated through pressure regulating valve 322 which is adjustable to control the wire tension about the bundle. These pressures are regulated so that when maximum desired wire tension is attained, the clutch will slip but drive sheaves 68 and 72 will not slip on the wire.

Electric control system The electric control system is illustrated in FIGURES 26 and 27.

Wire drive motor 81 and its electrically retracted friction brake in FIGURE 26 are energized from a power source 469 through relay contacts TM for wire tensioning direction of rotation and through relay contacts FMI for rotation in wire feed or rethread direction. These two sets of contacts provide energization and direction control for the wire feed motor.

The control system is energized from a pair of supply wires 4-01 and 402. Other wires 403, -4 and 485 may be energized from wire 402. Wires 401, 403, 494 and 405 continue from the bottom of FIGURE 26 to the top of FIGURE 27. The functions of the machine are initiated for automatic cycle operation by a plurality of limit switches on the machine as illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 25. These circuits are energized from wire 403. Various functions of the machine may also be initiated individually by a series of push button switches. These circuits are energized from wires 404 or 405.

Consistent with the pneumatic diagram, the switches and relay contacts are shown either open or closed as they would be when the wire guide track is threaded with binding wire, the gripper closed and the machine in condition to start an automatic binding cycle.

Emergency stop switch 43.0 is normally closed, energizing wire 405 and lamp L Auto-hand selector switch 411 energizes either wire 493 or 404 from wire 465. As shown, switch 411 is set in position to energize wire 403 for an automatic cycle in the normal operation of the machine.

A binding cycle is started by the momentary closing of contacts C6 which energizes cycle relay C1 through the normally closed contacts (33a and C la in the C3 and C4 relays. Upon reopening of the C6 contacts, a holding circuit for the C1 relay is established through Clo relay contacts, the normally closed contacts C2a of the C2 relay and normally closed limit switch LS9. Push button switch -PB1 shunts the relay contacts C6 for manual starting of the automatic cycle.

Wire drive motor tension relay TM is energized either through tension jog push button switch PBZ or through relay contacts Cib and time delay clutch relay contacts TDC 1 in series. Wire drive motor feed relay F M is energized through relay contacts C3b and alternate circuits through feed jog push button switch PB3a or P33 in series with revolution counter contacts RC1. RC1 also energizes a safety timer ST.

Revolution counter RC is energized initially through safety timer contacts STI and limit switches LS2, LS4 and LS7 in series, the latter being shunted by rethread push button switch PBd. Relay contacts C30 and revolution counter contacts RC2 in series provide a holding circuit. Revolution counter RC is manufactured by Eagle Signal, a division of E. W. Bliss Company at 736 Federal Street, Davenport, Iowa, under the name of Microfiex revolution counter, HZ series, which is described and illustrated in their bulletin 730 dated August 1964.

Gripper open solenoid SV4 may be energized through IBda, LS or gripper open, platen up push button switch PBS. Gripper close solenoid 5V6 is energized by wire 42%. Wire 529 may be energized by a first circuit through C3d and RC3 or a second circuit through gripper close push button switch P136 in FIGURE 27.

Gripper close relay C3 is energized through C212, PBSa, P341: and LS4. C3e contacts provide a holding circuit. Signal light L is connected in parallel with the C3 relay to indicate when the guide track is rethreaded to put the machine in condition for a binding operation.

Cycle protection relay C4 is ener ized by limit switch LS8.

Platen down solenoid SVlt at the top of FIGURE 27 is energized through relay contacts Cftc and previously mentioned wire 420. Platen up solenoid SVS is energized through PBSb or limit switch LS6.

Twister relay C2 is energized initially through time delay motor relay contacts TDMZ and energization is maintained by a holding circuit through this relays own contacts C2c and limit switch LSSa. The C2 relay may also be energized by twister jog push button switch P87. Twister solenoid SVZ is connected in parallel with relay C2.

The wire tension timing device includes a timing motor, not shown, a time delay motor relay TDM for energizing the timing motor and a time delay motor clutch relay TDC. TDM relay is energized by a wire 43d and TDC relay is energized by wire 43% and relay contacts Cid. Wire 43%} is energized by limit switch LSZa. Clutch relay contacts T-DCZ and motor relay contacts TDMI in series provide a holding circuit. This timing device is illustrated and described in US. Patents 2,981,855 and 3,054,023 and bulletin 125 dated November 1964, of Eagle Signal, referred to above.

Cutter solenoid 3V3 is energized by limit switch LS3 or cutter push button switch PBS.

Operation As shown in FIGURES 26 and 27, the pneumatic and electric systems are in the condition existing when the wire guide track has been rethreaded and the machine is ready to start a binding operation in its automatic cycle. Gripper close solenoid 5V6 is energized and relay C3 is energized. The other relays C1, C2 and C4 are deenergized. The machine functions to be initiated by the limit switches are designated in FIGURE 25.

With the platen raised, a bundle to be bound is moved into the bundle passage by conveyors 12 and 13. The arrival of the bundle in binding position is signalled by the closing of switch C6. Switch C6 may be operated by any suitable means responsive to the position of the bundle; in the present machine the operation of this switch is controlled by metering wheel 25 in FIGURE 1 which starts to rotate as soon as it is engaged and driven by the lead ing edge of an approaching bundle. Suitable auxiliary control mechanism, not included in the present invention, measures the distance back from the leading edge of the bundle where the binding, or the first binding if there are to be more than one, is desired and then stops the conveyors 12 and 13 and closes switch C6. This energizes cycle relay C1 to start the cycle. Switch C6 reopens and a holding circuit for the relay is established by the closing of its own relay contact Cla.

The energization of relay C1 closes relay contacts Cla and Clb in FIGURE 26 and C10 and Cid in FIGURE 27. The closing of contact Clb produces no function because contacts TDC} are open. The closing of contacts Clc energizes platen down solenoid SVTl through C10, wire 424i and closed contacts (33d and RC3. This actuates solenoid valve 310 to operate platen cylinder 45 and lower the platen 4t to clamp the bundle in binding position. The closing of relay contacts Cid produces no immediate function because limit switch LSZa is open.

The lowering of the platen first closes limit switch LS8 at the bottom of FIGURE 26 to energize relay C4. The energization of C4 opens contact C io in the already open circuit through reopened contacts C6. This prevents a second cycle until the platen has been raised. Relay C4 also operates a conveyor interlock circuit, not shown, to prevent further conveyor movement until the platen is up.

As the platen pressure shoe S2 in FIGURE 22 engages the bundle, plunger in FIGURES 10 and 25 operates limit switch LS2 to open LS2 in FIGURE 26 and close LSZa in FIGURE 27. The opening of LS2 opens the circuit through LS7 until the platen is raised so that rethread cannot occur while the platen is down on a bundle. The closing of LSZa energizes the time delay motor relay TDM and time delay clutch relay TDC, the latter through now closed switch Clld. The energization of these relays opens their relay contact TDMl, closes TDC]. and TDC2 and starts the time delay motor and engages its clutch, not shown. The opening of TDMI and closing of TDCZ and TDC have no elfects on the respective circuits.

The closing of contacts TDCl by time delay clutch relay TDC energizes wire drive motor tension relay TM in FIGURE 26 through now closed contacts Clb. This relay closes reversing relay contacts TMI to energize wire drive motor 81 in the direction of wire tension and release brake 83. At the end of a predetermined interval of time, the timing motor closes contacts TDMl and TDMZ and reopens contacts TDCl and TDC2. The opening of contacts TDCl deenergizes motor tension relay TM to open Wire drive motor circuit contacts TMl, stopping wire drive motor 81 and allowing application of brake 83. This timing period is adjusted to an interval slightly exceeding the time required for the Wire drive motor to strip the wire from the guide track and tension it about the bundle, causing the clutch 82 in FIGURE 7 to slip momentarily before the wire drive motor is deenergized and stopped by its brake. The slipping of the clutch, which is adjusted by pressure regulating valve 302 in FIGURE 27, assures the desired wire tension around the bundle before the splice is twisted.

Closing of TDM2 contacts energizes twister relay C2 and twister solenoid SVZ to operate the twister mechanism and form a splice. As twister piston rod 151 rises, it passes 13 limit switch LS7 without actuating the switch and then near the top of its stroke the piston rod actuates limit switches LS3, and 6 in rapid succession.

Just before the splice is completed, the closing of limit switch LS3 energizes cutter solenoid 8V3 to operate the cutter so that the cut end of the wire will be twisted into the splice. The closing of limit switch LS5 (FIGURE 26) energizes gripper open solenoid 8V4 to open the gripper and release the gripped end of the Wire. The adjustments of switch actuating lugs 155 and 156 on lug plate 158 in FIGURE 14 determine the orientation of the wire ends in the completed splice.

The energization of relay C2. has deenergized relay C3 by the opening of C2b contacts. The deenergization of relay C3 has opened relay contacts C3b to deenergize gripper close solenoid SV6 and has opened contacts C3a. The energization of twister relay C2 has also deenergized cycle relay C1 by opening contacts C2a.

The actuation of limit switch LS6 opens switch LS6a to deenergize relay C2 and twister solenoid valve SVZ. When SV2 is deenergized, the valve spring shifts valve 315 to reverse the air connections to twister cylinder 150 and return twister piston rod 151 to its lower position. The closing of switch LS6 in FIGURE 27 energizes platen up solenoid SVS to raise the platen 40. 8V1 has previously been deenergized by the opening of relay switch C when cycle relay C1 was deenergized. The raising of the platen strips the splice from the twister gear and frees the bundle for advance on the conveyors.

On its up stroke, the twister piston rod 151 passed by limit switch LS7 without actuating the switch. Now, as the piston rod approaches the limit of its down stroke, it actuates switch LS7 to energize the revolution counter RC through normally closed safety timer switch ST1. The energization of revolution counter RC closes switches RC1 and RC2. The closing of RC1 energizes safety timer ST and energizes wire drive motor feed relay FM through the closed switches PB3 and C31). The energization of relay FM closes contacts FM1 to operate wire drive motor 81 in the wire feed or rethread direction and releases the motor brake 83. This operation starts while the platen is rising, after plunger 95 in FIGURE 25 has left the bundle and actuated LS2.

When a predetermined length of wire has been threaded into the guide track according to the adjustment of dial 145 in FIGURE 1, the revolution counter reopens contacts RC1 and RC2. This deenergizes the revolution counter RC, safety timer ST and motor feed relay FM. Deenergization of the latter opens the FM1 contacts to stop wire feed motor 81. In case of fault or maladjustment of dial 145, safety timer ST opens contacts ST1 to deenergize revolution counter RC and stop the wire feed after a predetermined interval of time. In normal operation ST does not function. RC3 is closed to prepare a gripper close circuit.

During wire feed or rethread, the gripper serves as a stop for the end of the wire and the revolution counter is adjusted by dial 145 to feed a slight excess length of wire into the guide track, causing the arcuate plate 115 in FIGURE 10 to be pushed outward and actuate limit switch LS4. The closing of L841: energizes signal light L and relay C3 through the closed contracts C212, PBSa and PB4b. This restores the system to its starting condition. Energization of relay C3 closes the relay C3a, C31), C30, C3a? and C3a. The closing of C3d contacts energizes gripper close solenoid SV6 through the closed contacts RC3 to grip the end of the wire. The closing .of contacts C3a prepares a circuit for relay C1. The opening of contacts C3b stops the wire drive motor in the event that the revolution counter hasnt counted out yet. The opening of contacts C30 deenergizes the revolution counter if it hasnt counted out yet. These are additional safety provisions. Finally, the closing of contacts C3a establishes a holding circuit for relay C3.

As the platen rises from the bundle, limit switch LS2 is 14 returned to its original position. This re-closes switch LS2 in FIGURE 26 and opens LSZa in FIGURE 27. When the platen is fully raised, limit switch LSS is returned to its original open position, deenergizing relay C4. Limit switch LS8 and relay C4 prevent the application of a second binding until the platen has been raised.

The push button switches are chiefly for testing the machine in making adjustments or repairs. Push button switch PBl provides for manual initiation of the binding cycle at the will of the operator instead of by the switch C6 which is closed automatically by the positioning of the bundle in the bundle passage. The other push button switches are energized from wire 404 instead of wire 403. When it is desired to use these switches to initiate individual functions of the machine, the selector switch 411 is shifted to hand position to energize wire 404 from supply wire 402.

Push button switch P32 is a tension jog switch. Closing this switch energizes wire drive motor tension relay TM for producing wire drive in a tension direction as long as the switch is held closed. PB3 is a feed jog switch which similarly energizes relay FM for wire drive in a rethread direction.

PB4, PB4a, PBeb perform a complete rethread operation and close the gripper on the wire end. PBS opens the gripper and raises the platen.

PB6 performs the single operation of closing the griper. PB7 performs the single function of operating the twister mechanism. PBS- operates the cutter.

Having now described our invention and in what manner the same may be used, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a snare-type Wire binding machine having a platen with a wire guide track arranged to encircle a bundle and a reversible wire drive motor arranged to thread a binding wire around said guide track, through a wire cutter and twister gear and into a gripper, and to strip the wire from said guide track and tension it about the bundle; means to move said platen and bundle relatively toward each other, control means on said platen actuated by engagement with the bundle to start said motor in tension direction, timing means for stopping said motor and initiating operation of twisted mechanism for said twister gear, control means actuated by said twister mech anism for operating said cutter, opening said gripper, moving said platen and bundle relatively away from each other and starting said motor in rethread direction, and control means actuated by the wire at completion of rethreading to stop said motor and close the gripper on the wire.

2. A snare-type wire binding machine comprising a platen having a bundle opening and bundle engaging means on one side of said opening, a cutter, twister gear and gripper disposed side by side on said platen adjacent said bundle engaging means, a wire guide track on said platen encii cling said bundle opening and arranged to dire-ct a binding Wire through said cutter and twister gear and into said gripper; means for moving said platen and bundle relatively toward and away from each other, means for driving a binding wire in oppoiste directions in said guide track, and means for operating said twister gear, cutter and gripper; control means arranged to move said platen and bundle relatively toward each other, control means on said platen actuated by the bundle arranged to start said wire driving means in tension direction, time controlled means arranged to stop said wire driving means and operate said twister gear after a predetermined interval of time, means actuated by the twister gear operator for operating said cutter, opening said gripper, moving said platen and bundle relatively away from each other and starting said wire driving means in rethread direction, and means actuated by the wire in rethread arranged to stop said wire driving means and close said gripper.

3. A machine as defined in claim 2, including push button control means arranged to operate said wire drivlog means in rethread jog and tension jog, push button control means for operating said twister gear and cutter, push button control means arranged to close said gripper, and push button control means arranged to open the gripper and move the platen and bundle relatively away from each other.

4. In a snare-type wire binding machine having a wire guide track encircling a bundle opening to form a loop of wire to receive a bundle, a reversible wire drive motor for threading a length of Wire around said guide track and then stripping the wire out of said guide track and tensioning the wire about the bundle, a revolution counter having a wheel driven by the wire during said threading movement and arranged to stop said motor when a predetermined length of wire has been threaded into the guide track, means to reverse said motor for stripping the wire out of the guide track and tensioning the wire about the bundle, an adjustable friction clutch in the drive of said motor to control wire tension on the bundle, and time controlled means arran ed to stop said motor in said tensioning operation after a predetermined interval of time.

5. In a wire binding machine, a twister gear arranged to form a splice in the binding wire, a drive shaft for rotating said twister gear, a sprocket on said drive shaft, a second sprocket, an endless chain trained around said sprockets, a cylinder, and a piston rod in said cylinder connected with said chain for rotating said drive shaft.

(2. The structure of claim 5, said sprockets being double sprockets and said chain being a double chain.

'7. The structure of claim 5, including a uni-directional clutch in said first sprocket for driving said shaft in one direction of rotation of the sprocket, a non-directional frictional clutch in said first sprocket for driving said shaft, and an indexing stop operable on said shaft to limit rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction causing said friction clutch to slip and allowing further rotation of the sprocket in said opposite direction.

8. The structure of claim 5, including a lug plate on said piston rod, a plurality of lugs on said lug plate, and a plurality of limit switches mounted in the path of travel of said lugs for actuation by the lugs.

9. In a binding machine as defined in claim 8, a wire cutter on one side of said twister gear, a wire gripper on the opposite side of said twister gear, a platen having a bundle opening to receive a bundle to be bound, said twister gear, cutter and gripper being mounted on said platen, a wire guide track on said platen encircling said bundle opening and including said twister gear, cutter and gripper, said platen and bundle being movable relatively toward each other so that the platen will engage the bundle in binding position, one of said limit switches being arranged to operate said cutter, one of said limit switches being arranged to open said gripper, one of said limit switches being arranged to move said platen and bundle relatively away from each other and retract said piston rod, and one of said limit switches being arranged to start wire feed through said guide track.

10. In a wire binding machine having means for tensioning a loop of binding wire around a bundle and a wire twister for splicing two portions of the wire together for securing the binding, a gripper arranged to hold an end of the wire during tensioning and twisting, and a resilient mounting for said gripper arranged to sustain the pull of said tensioning means without yielding but arranged to yield under increased tension resulting from operation of the twister, to prevent overstressing the wire during twisting.

11. In a snare-type wire binding machine having a platen with a bundle opening wherein one side of said opening is adapted to engage a bundle in the opening, a slotted twister gear on said platen adjacent said one side of said opening, a wire cutter and a wire gripper on said platen spaced on opposite sides of said twister gear, a pair of wire guides on the platen disposed in said spaces between the twister gear and said cutter and gripper, and a plunger on the platen projecting into said bundle opening and arranged to engage a bundle and retract said guides when the bundle engages said one side of said opening.

12. In a binding machine as defined in claim 11, a resilient mounting for said wire guide which is adjacent said gripper arranged to cause said guide to direct the binding wire into predetermined position in said gripper.

13. In a snare-type Wire binding machine having reversible wire drive means arranged to form a loop of wire to receive a bundle and then tension the loop about the bundle, an elongated slack storage chamber for the wire disposed in a plane, and arcuate guide means at one end of said chamber for leading the wire to said drive means from a source of wire supply, said guide means being disposed in the plane of said chamber and arranged to how the Wire toward said end of the chamber so that operation of said drive means in loop tensioning direction pulls wire back from the loop and pushes the wire away from said guide means into said chamber.

14. In a machine as defined in claim 13, one wall of said chamber having a slot extending the length of the chamber for observing the slack Wire in the chamber, a safety switch adjustable along said slot, said switch being arranged for actuation by the wire to stop the machine in the event an excessive length of wire is fed into said chamber.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,360,236 11/1920 McChesney 100-31 2,134,187 10/1938 Harvey.

2,195,043 3/1940 Wright 100-26 2,215,121 9/1940 Harvey et al 100-4 2,416,859 3/1947 Vining et al. 100-26 2,831,422 4/1958 Black et al 100-3 XR 2,908,215 10/1959 Fawcett 100-26 3,137,426 6/ 1964 Brenneisen. 3,196,779 7/1965 Embree 100-4 3,215,064 11/1965 Koehler 100-25 XR BILLY I. WILHITE, Primary Examiner. 

